Veneer-taping machine.



W. J. KELLY. VENEER TAPING MACHINE. APPLICATION Minn 001212, 1909.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

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VENEER TAPING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 00112, 1909.

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VENEER TAPING MAGHINB.

APPLICATION FILED 00112, 1909.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

3 BHEBTSSHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOGIAPH co., WASHING-rd". n. c.

WILLIAM J. KELLY, OF CLINTON, IOWA.

VENEER-TAPING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 12, 1909.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

Serial No. 522,331.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, XVILLIAM J. KELLY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Clinton, in the county of Clinton and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Veneer-Taping Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for edgewise-unitingstrips of veneer to form it into sheets thereof to be used in the makingof furniture and other cabinet work. The operation of so uniting stripsof veneer involves the passing of the strips to be united, and while inedgewise abutting condition, through a machine which applies a strip ofadhesive tape to one side of the strips to span the joint between themand thus unites them and forms a sheet of veneer. This sheet with thetape adhering to it is then glued to the object to be veneered, andsubsequently the tape removed and the exposed surface of the veneersanded and polished as desired. It is well understood in the art that inorder to produce a high quality of veneer it is necessary that the jointbetween the strips composing it be rendered as invisible as possible, asdefective joints mar the appearance of the veneer.

One of my objects is to provide improvements in machines of this type tothe end of insuring perfect joints between the strips; and other objectsare to provide a simple construction of machine which when operating onthe strips of veneer will not mar the surface thereof which is exposedto view when applied to the object to be veneered, thus renderingsanding of the veneer for removing roller marks unnecessary; andgenerally to so improve on machines as hitherto constructed as to renderthem more effective for performing their functions.

Referring to the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a view in endelevation of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention,showing strips of veneer in the machine. Fig. 2 is a section taken atthe line 2 on Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 isa view in front elevation of the machine. Fig. 4 is a plan view, partlysectional, of the machine; and Fig. 5, a broken view in front elevationof one of the two pairs of similar inclinedlydisposed rollers andcooperating roller for feeding the strips of veneer, shown in section.through the machine.

The frame of the machine comprises a series of legs or uprights (3braced by crossmembers 7 and S and supporting a table 9 and uprightend-members 1.0. The table 9 is preferably formed of a plurality ofsections 11, 12, 13, 1 1- and 15, the sections 11 being arranged onopposite sides of the center line of the machine and spaced apart, andthe other sections, of metal, fitting in the space between the sections11 and being spaced apart as represented, primarily for the purpose ofeconomy in constructing the machine and rendering the sections insulatedfrom each other to permit the heat from one of the sections, heated ashereinafter described, from being communicated to the others.

The members 10 contain alining vertically-elongated slots 16 into whichthe reduced ends 17 of beams 18 arranged transversely of the table 9,extend, each of these beams 18 toward its ends and on opposite sides ofthe center line of the machine carrying depending brackets 19 and 20,respectively. In the brackets on each of the two beams 18 at the frontend of the machine are journaled shafts 21. and 22 which converge towardeach other in the horizontal plane from front to rear as represented.Each of the two front shafts 21 and 22 carries atits inner end a pair ofcorrugated rollers 23, and each of the two rear shafts 21 and 22 carriessimilar rollers 23, these rollers being spaced a slight distance apartand arranged on opposite sides of the center line of the table, asrepresented in Fig. 4. The brackets on the rear one of the beams 18 formjournals for a rotary shaft 24 carrying a corrugated roller 25registering with the center line of the table and in a direct line withthe joint between the strips of veneer to be operated on. All of theshafts 21, 22 and 24. are positively driven by any suitable means, asfor instance by power applied to a pulley 26 on the shaft 21 andcommunicated to the other shafts by chains 27 and 28 engaging withsprockets 29, 30 and 31 on the respective shafts.

Cooperating with each set of rollers as hereinbefore described on theshafts 21 and 22 is a roller 32, each fixed, below the table 9, on ashaft 33 journaled in the frame, the rollers 32 being located directlybeneath their cooperating rollers 23 and extending through the spacesbetween the table-sections 12, 13 and 14 into a position flush with theupper surfaces of the latter. The roller 25 cotiperates with a roller 25fixed on a shaft 25 and extending through a slot 12 in the table section12, as represented in Fig. 2.

Journaled centrally of the machine and below the table is a flangedspool 34 on which the tape 35 to be applied to the strips of veneer iswound. The free end of this tape extends upwardly passing in front of aguide-loop 36 secured to the wall of a receptacle 37 located beneath thetable at the front end of the machine, and through a slot 38 in thetable and beneath a spring presser-foot 39 secured to a bracket 40 onthe front one ofthe beams 18.

In the construction illustrated it is intended that the tape 35 be ofthe adhesive variety coated with glue or the like, and thus I providemeans for applying moisture to the tape before it passes through thetable, these means comprising the receptacle 37 for receiving Water, anda piece, or strip, 41 of wicking, or any other suitable material,immersed at one end in the water in the receptacle 37 and extending atits other end through a slot 42 in the wall of this receptacle and intothe path of movement of the tape 35 for moistening the glue thereon.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The strips of Veneer, suchas those represented at 43, to be edge-wise united and the edges ofwhich are preparatorily trued, as well understood in the art, are laidflatwise on the section 14 of the table with their edges abutting andthe joint between them registering with the center line of the table, asclearly indicated in Fig. 4. In this condition they may then be pushedunderneath the presser-foot 39 and between the front set ofpositively-driven rollers 23 and their coiiperating roller 32, with theresult of causing these rollers to grip the strips 43 and feed them intoengagement with the rear set of rollers 23 and their coiiperating roller32, and thence into engagement with the rollers 25 and 25 which ejectthe strips from the machine. The tape 35, with its glued side exposed,lying beneath the presser-foot 39 and registering with the center lineof the table, adheres to the under surface of the strips of veneerintroduced under the presser-foot and covers the joint between them. Asthe strips of veneer move through the machine as described, the tape isdrawn from the spool 34 and applied to the strips. As a means forsevering the tape at the point desired I provide a verticallyreciprocable cutter 44 slidably mounted on the bracket 10 in the rear ofthe presser-foot and immediately above the path of movement of the tape35. The cutter is yieldingly supported in raised position by a spring 45secured to the front beam 18 and engaging at its free end with a lug 46on the cut-ter 44, the latter work ing through a slot 47 in the tableand adapted to be operated by pressing down wardly against its head 48against the ac tion of the spring 45 after the strips of -veneer havepassed rearwardly beyond it,

the cutter-portion of the cutter in this operation severing the tape 35below it. As soon as the strips of veneer pass the presserfoot 39 thelatter springs downward to the position represented in dotted lines inFig. 2 and holds the free end of the tape in position to be applied toother strips of veneer introduced into the machine. The two sets ofrollers 23 in coijperating with their rollers 32, serve to grip thestrips 43, feeding them through the machine and pressing the tape intoclose contact with the underside of these strips. By disposing therollers 23 at an angle to each other as described, the strips of veneerwith the tape applied are not only fed through the machine but areconstantly forced toward each other int-o intimate edge-wise contact forproducing a tight joint. In this condition the strips pass over thetable-section 11, which is preferably heated, as by a steam-box 49connected with a steam-supply and exhaust pipes 50 and 51, respectively,the heat serving to dry the glue on the tape sufiiciently to hold thestrips in the intimate edgewise contact into which they are forced bythe action of the rollers 23, as described.

The pressure exerted by the rollers 23 and 32 upon the strips of veneermay be regulated by means of thumb-screws 52 working throughinwardly-extending plate-sections 53 carried by the end members 10 andbearing against the ends of the beams 18, this feature of constructionfurther serving to permit the desired pressure to be applied regardlessof the thickness of the veneer. In applying the veneer to the object tobe veneered, it is the practice to glue that side of the sheet of'veneerwhich is unprovided with the tape, flatwise to the object, exposing thetape on its upper side, the top afterward being removed and the surfaceof the veneer finished as desired. It will thus be manifest that it isdesirable that the side of the veneer to which the tape is applied beunmarred by marks or indentations, as such require extensive sandingwhen produced in the wood. By constructing the machine in accordancewith my invention, the tape is applied to one face of the strips and therollers which produce the indentations in the strips operate against theother side thereof, thus preventing the making of indentations in theveneer on the side which is to be exposed on the veneered object andovercoming the objection hereinbefore referred to.

Another advantage produced by constructing the machine to cause thecorrugated rollers 23 to operate against the sides of the veneer opposedto the taped sides thereof, is that of producing the indentations in thefaces of strips to which the glue is applied when the veneer strips areglued to the object to be veneered, the glue entering these indentationsand thus, by the an chorage thus created, insuring the desired adhesionof the veneer to the object veneered.

\Vhile I have illustrated and described the machine as employingpreparatorily glued tape requiring moistening only for n'iaking itadhesive for use, it will be manifest that unglued tape may be used andmeans, well known in the art, may be employed for applying the glue toit before it contacts with the strips of veneer; or tape which isrendered adhesive by heating may be employed.

Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In aveneer-taping machine, cooperating feed-rollers between which the stripsof veneer are introduced, the rollers bearing against one side of thestrips operating against their marginal portions and being constructedand arranged to force both of the strips toward each other with equal,or substantially equal, force into intimate edgewise contact, for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a veneer-taping machine, cooperating feed-rollers between whichthe strips of veneer are introduced, the rollers bearing against oneside of the strips being disposed on opposite sides of the joint betweenthe latter and operating against their adjacent marginal portions andhaving their axes converging toward the line of feed of the stripsthrough the machine, for the purpose set forth.

3. In a veneer-taping machine, a pair of feed-rollers and a third rollerspaced apart and adapted to feed strips of veneer through the machine,the rollers of said pair being disposed on opposite sides of the jointbetween said strips and operating against the marginal portions of thelatter, with the axes of said pair of rollers converging toward the lineof feed of the strips through the machine, for the purpose set forth.

4. In a veneer-taping machine, means for feeding the strips of veneerthrough the machine comprising, in combination, a pair ofpositively-driven feed-rollers, and a third roller cooperatingtherewith, said pair of rollers engaging with the untaped side of thestrips and extending into the space between the vertical planes of theends of said third roller, and said third roller engaging only with thetape applied to said strips, whereby said pair of rollers and said thirdroller engage the work at opposite sides thereof in the same verticalplane, and the taped surfaces of the strips are unmarred in passingthrough the machine.

5. In a veneer-taping machine, the combination with a table, of meansfor feeding the strips of veneer through the machine comprising, incombination, a roller journaled to extend through said table, and a pairof positively-driven feed-rollers located above said third roller, saidpair of rollers engaging with the untaped side of said strips andextending into the space between the vertical planes of the ends of saidthird roller, and said third roller engaging only with the tape appliedto said strips, whereby the upper and lower rollers engage the strips atopposite sides thereof in the same vertical plane, and the tapedsurfaces of the strips are unmarred in passing through the machine.

6. In a veneer-taping machine, means for feeding the strips through themachine comprising a roller, and a pair of positivelydriven feed-rollerslocated above said roller and cooperating therewith, said pair ofrollers engaging with the untaped sides of the strips and extending intothe space between the vertical planes of the ends of said third roller,and said third roller engaging only with the tape applied to saidstrips,whereby the upper and lower rollers engage the strips at oppositesides thereof in the same vertical plane, and the taped surfaces of thestrips are unmarred in passing through the machine, and a supply of tapefrom which tape is applied to the undersides of the strips, for thepurpose set forth.

7. In a veneer-taping machine, the combination of a table, means forfeeding strips of veneer along said table, means for applying tape tothe undersides of the strips to span the joint between them, saidfeeding means being so located as to cause the taped strips to he movedin contact with the table at its rear end, and means for heating therear end of said table, for the purpose set forth.

8. In a veneer-taping machine, the combination of a table formed ofmetal sections insulated from each other, means located in front of therear section of said table for feeding the strips of veneer through themachine, means for applying tape to the undersides of said strips tospan the joint between them. and means for heating the table sectionbeyond said feeding means, for the purpose set forth.

9. In a veneer-taping machine, the combination of a frame, a table, aroller journaled on the machine to extend through said table, a beamadjustably supported on the frame and extending transversely of saidtable, a pair of positively-driven rollers supported on said beam andcooperating with said roller for feeding strips of veneer through themachine, and a supply of tape from which tape is applied to the stripsof veneer to be taped.

10. In a veneer-taping machine, the combination of a frame, a table, apair of rollers &

j ournaled on the machine to extend through said table and engage withthe tape on the strips of veneer, cross-members supported on said frame,and pairs of positively-driven rollers supported on said cross-memberswith the axes of the rollers of each pair converging in the direction oftravel of the strips of veneer in passing through the machine, andengage with the untaped surfaces of said strips at their adjacent sideportions, said pairs of rollers cooperating with said firstnamed rollersfor feeding the strips through the machine.

11. In a veneer-taping machine, means for feeding the strips throughthe'machine comprising, in combination, a pair of positively drivenfeed-rollers disposed on the opposite sides of the joint between saidstrips and having their axes converging in the line of travel of thestrips and adapted to engage with the untaped sides at their adjacentmarginal portions, and a third roller cooperating therewith and spanningthe space between them, said third roller contacting only with the tapeapplied to the strips of Veneer.

WVILLIAM J. KELLY. In presence of J. E. OoNDoN, P. H. KELLY.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

